Anala the Tiger, a longtime staple at the Franklin Park Zoon in Boston, has died according to her caretakers.
Following a decline in overall health, with serious age-related heath issues, the 17-year-old tiger died on Monday, Nov. 14.
In a statement, the zoo noted Anala had been closely monitored by her care team ever since an exam in September revealed she was experiencing kidney failure, a condition that was “chronic and irreversible.”
“At 17 years old, Anala was a geriatric cat, and unfortunately kidney issues in a cat her age are not uncommon,” a spokesperson said. “In recent days, Anala’s health steadily declined, and the decision was made to humanely euthanize her for quality of life reasons.”
According to a press release, Anala, a Bengal mix, came to Franklin Park Zoo as a cub after being confiscated by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service special agents. She was recovered during a sting operation at a wildlife sanctuary that was attempting to sell her and fellow tiger cub, Luther, a white together that passed away in 2019.
The two cubs were part of Franklin Park Zoo’s “Tiger Tales” habitat, which opened in 2006 and marked the first time tigers had been exhibited at the zoo in 30 years.
“Anala was an incredible ambassador for her species, and we are deeply saddened to share the news of her passing,” John Linehan, Zoo New England President and CEO, said in a statement. “She lived at Franklin Park Zoo for most of her life, and had such an incredible presence. In the many years that she lived here, her story helped us teach so many people about illegal wildlife trafficking, the human exploitation of tigers and the importance of protecting and preserving the incredible biodiversity on our planet.”
Officials noted that for the immediate future, the Tiger Tales habitat would remain unoccupied, with future plans for the space to be announced at a later date.